Present day conditions have created a need for a very simple and economical test device which an untrained member of the general public may utilize to test for toxic substances in the air he breathes. For example, in certain parts of the country many deaths have occurred in automoblies during recent blizzard conditions with many of these deaths being caused by carbon monoxide poisoning. In addition, the current need for energy conservation has created a potentially hazardous condition in many homes where the home owner has installed energy conservation devices. These devices are often inserted in the furnace flue and recirculate potentially toxic gases.
While many devices exist for measuring or detecting gases or other toxic materials in the atmosphere, most of these devices are so expensive or so complex in operation that their use by the general public has been quite limited.